Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

Liu Wenying noticed the young monk's confusion and quickly explained.

"Please don't be offended, little master. I'm asking for someone else. She's reached an age where she can't come to ask in person, so she asked me to ask for it on her behalf."

The young monk nodded in understanding and told Liu Wenying that to obtain a marriage charm, she needed to go to the Guanyin Pavilion in the front hall, where there was a guest monk who was in charge of this matter.

You also need to provide your name and birth date, offer incense money, and then have a monk chant sutras and bless the offering before you can receive it.

Liu Wenying carefully noted it down, then asked about the approximate amount of the incense money. Having a better understanding of the amount, she thanked the monk and left.

Following the monk's directions, Liu Wenying arrived at the Guanyin Pavilion, located behind the main hall.

The incense here is also very strong, and most of the people coming and going are women.

The Guanyin statue enshrined inside the pavilion is solemn and compassionate, with lowered eyebrows and downcast eyes.

Liu Wenying found the monk on duty, gave him Xiaozhu's name and birth date, and offered him incense money.

The monk in charge of receiving guests took it, wrote it down in his book, and then took out a yellow talisman.

The talisman paper is folded into a triangle shape and tied with red silk thread.

He turned around and went to the Guanyin statue, chanted the scriptures in a low voice, handed it to Liu Wenying, and put his hands together and said, "Amitabha, may the benefactor's wish be fulfilled."

After obtaining the marriage charm, Liu Wenying bowed three times to the Guanyin statue before carrying her young master and leaving.

Returning to Yunshui Lodge along the same path, I was walking when I inadvertently caught a glimpse of a familiar figure emerging from behind an ancient cypress tree.

Today, the second wife, Lin Zhiyao, wore a rather plain egg-blue dress, with a silver fox fur cloak over it.

Two maids followed behind her, emerging from a side hall on the other side of the Guanyin Pavilion, seemingly having just finished offering incense.

Just as Liu Wenying was about to step forward to pay her respects, she heard a maidservant beside Lin Zhiyao whisper something.

"...With your sincere devotion, Madam, the Bodhisattva will surely bless you and grant you a son soon..."

Seeking a child?

Shortly after the birth of the young master, Lin Zhiyao came to Tinglan Courtyard to visit him.

During their conversation, Wen Jingshu also mentioned the issue of having children.

Now that the first wife has Ye'er, how can the second wife not have children?

No wonder Lin Zhiyao would come to Guanyin to pray for a child on a day for blessings.

After a slight hesitation, Lin Zhiyao walked away.

After hearing such a secret, Liu Wenying didn't want to get any closer. She simply pretended not to have met him, waited around for a while, and then walked towards Yunshui Liao.

Back at Yunshui Lodge, it was nearly noon in Wen Jingshu's meditation room.

When Liu Wenying returned, Wen Jingshu had just finished copying a passage of scripture and was resting.

Upon seeing Ye'er, she smiled and asked, "Little rascal, have you had enough fun?"

Liu Wenying handed Ye'er over to the First Madam, not forgetting to mention the old monk's blessing she had just encountered.

Wen Jingshu was indeed very happy to hear this.

"Such an opportunity? What a blessing for our Ye'er! May Buddha and Bodhisattva protect her!"

The surrounding maids also chimed in, saying auspicious words.

Because Liu Wenying had good fortune, everyone treated her even more kindly.

As for the marriage charm in her bosom, and the chance encounter with the Second Madam on the road, Liu Wenying didn't mention a word.

The former is a private matter and not worth mentioning.

The latter must be kept completely to oneself and must not be revealed in the slightest.

Wen Jingshu was in a good mood and rewarded Liu Wenying with a plate of vegetarian snacks specially made by the temple. Liu Wenying thanked her and thought it was a good way to fill her stomach.

In the afternoon, it was time to hand over the shift.

Liu Wenying handed the young master over to Cuihua, briefly explained the day's events, and, seeing that there were no further instructions, took her leave with the tired Luoluo in her arms.

She had barely left when Pei Dingxuan stepped in.

When Wen Jingshu saw him, she quickly offered him a seat and served him tea.

Pei Dingxuan sat down on the kang (a heated brick bed) by the window, said a few words to Wen Jingshu, and looked at the child.

A casual glance revealed a talisman that had fallen under the kang table.

The color and shape clearly indicate that it is a common auspicious talisman found in temples.

He picked it up casually. "What is this?"

Wen Jingshu and Zizhu, who was serving her, both looked over.

Zizhu, with her sharp eyes, exclaimed, "It looks like something belonging to Nurse Liu. Perhaps she accidentally left it behind."

Wen Jingshu also looked at it and recognized it as a marriage charm. She couldn't help but laugh and say, "So she even went to get a marriage charm?"

Zizhu chimed in, "Nanny Liu is not even twenty yet, and she's widowed at such a young age. It's only natural that she hopes to have someone to rely on again."

Besides, the marriage charms at Daxiangguo Temple are the most effective; if it weren't for serving the lady, she would have wanted to ask for one herself.

"Yes, she is a good woman, diligent and honest, and she loves her children. If she can meet an honest and reliable man, she will have a secure future."

Wen Jingshu said, "By the way, I can keep an eye out for suitable candidates in the manor or on the estate later."

"Madam is kind-hearted!"

The master and servant were quite engrossed in their conversation, both thinking it was a good deed that helped others achieve their goals.

Wen Jingshu even began to consider which stewards or servants of similar age in the mansion were reliable.

For Pei Dingxuan, the marriage of a wet nurse was of no importance.

But as he listened to them planning for her and discussing which servant would be a good match for her, he felt inexplicably irritated.

The feeling of irritation came abruptly and without reason.

Suddenly, those clear, watery eyes flashed before my eyes, reminding me of her stubborn demeanor as she protected her child on that snowy night.

To be distributed among the servants? Are those servants truly worthy of her?

"That's enough!"

Wen Jingshu and Zizhu's conversation was interrupted, and they were both startled, looking at Pei Dingxuan in astonishment.

Pei Dingxuan's brows furrowed with a thin layer of anger; the semblance of peace he had shown moments before had vanished without a trace.

He was taken aback, not understanding where his nameless anger came from.

Meeting Wen Jingshu's questioning gaze, he felt even more agitated, abruptly stood up, and walked out without a word.

"Grandpa?" Wen Jingshu called out, but he didn't turn his head.

Everyone in the room was puzzled.

The old man is usually calm and rarely shows his emotions like this. What's wrong with him today?

Pei Dingxuan strode out of the Zen temple, the cold mountain wind hitting his face and clearing his feverish head somewhat.

After taking several deep breaths, the crisp air filled my lungs, and I was completely clear-headed.

However, he was still clutching something in his hand—the yellow marriage charm.

The soft talisman paper was crumpled from his grip, and the red thread was wrapped around his fingers.

An indescribable emotion was stuck in my chest, making me feel suffocated.

He didn't mean to interfere, but he found the comments extremely displeasing, even... grating.

As if guided by some strange force, he gripped the talisman tightly, took a step, and headed towards the meditation room where the servants of Yunshui Liao lived.

He knew she was there.

After passing through the moon gate and around the release pond, a plum grove appears ahead.

It was the dead of winter, and the red plum blossoms in the temple were in full bloom, with unmelted snow piled on the branches, creating a beautiful contrast of red and white.

He saw that figure under a gnarled old plum tree.

Liu Wenying had shed the overly respectful facade she wore in front of her master, and now she was relaxed, looking up at the plum blossoms.

Snowflakes drifted down, a few glistening white ones landing quietly on her dark hair, highlighting her slender figure and beautiful face.

Like the most delicate blossom on a red plum branch.

…………